These appear to be merely convenient lengths to enable the steps to be increased slightly as the candidate moves forward.
The steps are given in some lodges without reference to inches; i.e. a short step, a slightly longer step and a still longer step.
The ritual merely says "three irregular steps" and does not define their length in print.
In any case the candidate at this stage is in no condition to observe or measure exact or even appropriate numbers of inches as he has not yet been restored to light.
